“Rejoice evermore!” Perhaps during the great persecution, that surrounded those early believers; this greeting took on a completely new level of meaning. It was easy for them to become discouraged. Some of them were put in prison, tortured and others killed for their faith.

When they greeted one another with “Rejoice!” it was a reminder that they shared a joy far deeper than circumstantial happiness. Their joy was not merely a human emotion but a supernatural satisfaction resting in the faithfulness of God.

Happiness and joy are not the same. Happiness is an emotion based upon circumstances. When a new baby is born into your family, you are happy. When you finally get married on go on your honeymoon together, ah, you are happy! When you buy that first home and move in, you are happy. When you make that final payment you are happy. You get the picture. Happiness is based on our circumstances. As long as things go to please us, we are happy.

However, we cannot always control our circumstances. Things will not always go our way. In fact, sometimes our circumstances may be exceedingly unhappy. Yet, in either case, happy or not, the growing Christian still experiences joy. His joy is divorced from circumstance. Why?

True joy is not rooted in anything in this world, but in our eternal relationship with Almighty God. Rejoice today in the Lord! You cannot go wrong.